Regulator employed in temperature-regulating systems controlled by thermostats.



H. EMERSON.

REGULATOR EMPLOYED IN TEMPERATURE REGULATING SYSTEMS CONTROLLED BYTHERMOSTATS. APPLlCATlON FILED :um: 21,1913. 1,180,582. Patented Apr.25,1916.

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/ I I I II I III III/ I QOOTNI \N\/ ENTOR.

H. EMERSON.

REGULATOR EMPLOYED IN TEMPERATURE REGULATING SYSTEMS CONTROLLED BYTHERMOSTATS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1913.

1,180,582. Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

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AMA W.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD EMERSON, OF CHARLESTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

REGULATOR EMPLOYED IN TEMPERATURE-REGULATING SYSTEMS CONTROLLED BYTHERMOSTATS.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, Hanom) EMERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Charlestown, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in RegulatorsEmployed in Temperature-Regulating Systems Controlled by Thermostats.

My invention resides particularly in electrically ope 'ated means thatwill through the agency of a local auxiliary sustaining circuit insurethe positive opening or the closing of dampers located at the source ofheat, under all conditions.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the bestmode now known to me of embodying the same in an operative structure,Figure 1 is a front elevation of a regulator with cover removed,containing elements of my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical section, on linel2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a preferred form ofthermostat to be used with my invention. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic viewof the mechanisms and the electric circuits employed. Fig. 5 isaperspective view of the damper actuating member, circuit closers andtheir contacting members in normal position.

A regulator, Figs. 1 and 2, en'ibodying the features of my invention,hereby claimed, is inclosed in a. metal case Q, which is located andfixed where required by means of av hanger H and a plate Q, thatintermesh and are secured as by pins and cotter pins 0.

lVithin the case is an electric motor M M which furnishes the power ofthe regulator. ()n the motor shaft is a small spur gear G which engagesa large gear G on the shaft R, Fig. 2, mounted in bearings T, B. To takecare of, the thrust of the shaft R, I provide the bearing T with a ballbearing comprising ball I) mounted in a cup member 6, and retained thereby a cap f fitted to the member 0 and serving as one of the bearings forthe shaft R. ()n the shaft R is a worm gear IV whereby power may betransmitted to the driving gear D on the main shaft 0,

Fig. 1, mounted in suitable bushings (Z, (Z, in the case Q.

Both ends of the main shaft 0, Fig. 1,

have cranks K which are connected in awell. known manner. not hereshown. by a system of chains and pulleys with front and back dampers ofthe heat-mg source.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, i916.

Circuit closers C, C, Figs. 1 and 5, are mounted on the main shaft 0,Fig. 1, and consist of two drums .22, r", of insulating material, withsemi-cylindrical brass pieces 2 3 oppositely disposed and each having anadvancing rectangular portion removed. To engage these circuit closersC, C, are adjustable springs S S S S S, S, mounted at the top of thecase and held in place by contact screws n. These circuit closers aredesigned to shift athermostat starting circuit, later to be pointed out;and to close and open a local auxiliary sustaining circuit, also to bedescribed hereinafter; the length of the removed portion of each circuitcloser being such that its respective brush as S or S all but makescontact with that portion of the circuit closer under said brush, whencrank member K is in one of its two opposite normal positions, as shownin Fig.

As to the relations between the circuit closers and the adjustablespring contact members, it is to be particularly noticed, First, thatthe distance between the contact member S (Fig. 5), and that portion oof the circuit closer beneath it, represented between the dotted linesa, b, (Fig. 5), is such that a brake A, (Fig. 4:) to be fully explainedhereinafter, will always have brought the motor M M, and the operativelyconnected damper shaft 0, and circuit closers thereon, to rest in normalposition, before the said contact member S and the circuit closer 3 canmake contact. Second, that that portion of the circuit closer 3 adjacentto the removed portion, is of such angular length that its contactmembers S S have engaged it, previous to the cutting out of the othergroup of contacting memhers Q, S, C, on their circuit closer y. Third,that the angular length of that part of the circuit closer y under thethermostat starting contacting member S need be only of such length thatthe said contacting member, will remain in said contact only until afterthe auxiliary sustaining circuit contact member S has made contact withits said circuit closer 7 Control magnet E, Fig. 1, is supported on theside of the case. Its armature ais fixed to the free end portion of anarm A pivoted on a pin 72, set in a. shoulder S Fig. 2, on the motorframe. An extension of the arm A constitutes a brake arm having therein,a piece of friction producing material t which normally engages afriction wheel F. on the motor shaft, by reason of the weight of the armA and the armature (1. Also mounted on the arm A, and insulatedtherefrom. a platinum point 1 designed to make contact with anadjustable platinum point 1 directly above it, when the armature a ispicked up by the magnet E.

A switch S for locally operating the dampers, is placed under the case.I

Fig. shows circuit plan. Thermostat Z, the preferred form of which isshown in Fig. 3, is connected with regulator through a small three-wirecable. A source of power, as a step-down transformer T, tapped on to alighting circuit delivers a current of low voltage bet-ween t and t fora controlling circuit, and a current of higher voltage between t and tfor the motor circuit. As shown in Fig. l, the control circuit has justbeen broken on left hand circuit closer and made on right circuit closerC, C 'ank K is in position for checking the fire. As the temperaturedrops, tube Z is tipped to the left, by the contraction of spring Y,Fig. 3, and a thermostat starting circuit is completed through a: and.mercury 2, Fig. 4. Current flows from t to arm 0 of switch, to Z, 2', m,0', spring S through i to S to 6', through magnet E, and back totransformer t Magnet E is energized, motor brake A released, and motorcircuit completed from t, through motor, through contact point P toother side of transformer 6 Motor will begin, and continue to operateuntil crank K has completed a half revolution, and opened the drafts, atwhich point, control circuit is broken through the right hand circuitcloser C, C, and contacts are made on the left hand circuit closer C, C.Magnet E is deenergized, motor circuit is broken through the points P, pand the brake applied. The drafts being open, the temperature increases.Vith the expansion of thermostat spring Y, tube Z tips to the right. Vhen temperature corresponds to that indicated by the pointer, athermostat starting circuit will be completed between 7 and 2-. Then thesaid circuit will be completed from t to 0, to Z, to 2, to 3 to spring Sthrough y to S (contact being made on the left circuit closer, and openon right) to 6', through coils E and back to transformer 25 Motor willagain operate and bring crank K to check position. Thus the drafts willopen and close to maintainthe temperature at which thermostat pointer72, Fig. 3, is set.

As shown in Fig. 4, crank K is in check position. Throwing switch S tothe right establishes a circuit from 2' to 0, to 0', to

spring S*, through i to spring S to e, and through magnets E to andmotor M M, operates to open drafts. Contacts will now be broken on theright hand cir- Should 2,

cuit closer C; U, and made on the left. Throwing switch to right cutspower off thermostat at point 1. Returning switch to normal left handposition reestablishes circuit from t to 0. to Z, to 2', to y, to springS through 1 (contact being now made on left circuit closer C, C) throughspring S to c, through coils of magnet E, and back to t. This lastcircuit is completed through points 3 and If. thermostat circuit weremaking through .2 and drafts would already be open, and there would beno necessity of throwing switch to the right, the object of afts whenstartii'ig,

switch being to open d or shaking down fire. when thermostat isregulating to check fire, that is. when (lam pers are closed.

how, were it not for the mechanism, the operation of which I will nextdescribe,

should the thermostat make intermittent contact for a considerablelength of time, the crank would ad -'ance intermittently through quite apart of the whole are of its travel, before the circuit through thethermostat would be permanently established; this constant starting andstopping thus increasing the wear and tear of the mechanism, and thenoise of its operation becomes objectionable. And further, when usingthe switch for operating the regulator, if contact is made on right andthen broken, there is a possibility of the crank arm assuming anyposition in the arc of its travel and stopping there. And still further,were the dampe actuating member, and consequently the circuit closer y",manually moved ahead out of normal position clearly shown in Fig. 5,said member could not be returned to normal position until after thethermostat had completed a circuit through one of its legs, U or V.

I will proceed to show how the principal feature of my inventionovercomes these 0bjections.

In Fig. 4t suppose w and to make contact intermittently. Then athermostat starting circuit will be established through t, o, l, a1, 1',S, 3/", S, e, E, t and back to t. \Vhen 7/ on the right, advances enoughto establish a contact with brush S, then E will. remain energized untilstroke is completed through an auxiliary sustaining circuit f 7 S87 fi sv gardlessv of thermostat starting circuit. Contacting brush member S isleft in the same relative position to its circuit closer y, as brush Swas, before the above-mentioned action. That is, the left and right handcircuit closers C, C, are identical. make intermittent contact, then athermostat starting circuit would be established from f, 0, Z, .2, 7 S 7S a, E, t, and back to t; and when 7 advances energized of thethermostat starting circuit through y, z.- If switch S is thrown to theright, and then left between points Z and r, if duration of contact weresutlicient to ad vance 3 to contact S", then magnet IE will remainenergized, through local circuit t, f, f"; S, 3 S", e, E, t", t, untilstroke is completed, although switch circuit is open.

And if the damper actuating member K is, for example, manually advanced,and the thermostat starting circuit, at points e' or 2 1 is open, and,since the return of member K to normal position, has not been completedeither permanently or intermittently, and hence has not energized themotor magnet E, then said magnet (the damper actuating member being outof normal position) is at once energized by the auxiliary sustainingcircuit, which, as before stated, is at once completed through say thecontact member C and circuit closer 3 or through S, and y, and remainsenergized until the end of the stroke of the member K. In short, anymanual displacement of the damper actuating member, and hence thecircuit closers, exceeding a predetermined amount, will always result ina return of said member to normal position, because of a positive localsupply of electrical current through the auxiliary sustaining circuit,other than through the points of the thermostat. In fine, I attain allof the hereinbefore results by making use of suitable means, and a localauxiliary sustaining circuit, independent of the thermostat startingcircuit, or the switch circuit, so designed that after the crank shafthas advanced a predetermined part of its whole travel, the magnet willbecome energized and remain so energized by the auxiliary sustainingcircuit,-during the rest of its travel to a normal position.

Desiring to protect my invention in the broadest manner legallypossible, what I claim is:

1. In an electric motor-driven regulator, having damper actuating memberoperatively connected to said motor; a source of electrical energy; a.motor circuit; an electro-magnet, whose armature opens and closes themotor circuit; a thermostat; a thermostat starting circuit, the closingand opening of which by the thermostat energizes said electro-magnet:alocal auxiliary sustaining circuit. independent of the thermostatstarting circuit, but including said electro-magnet; circuit closingmeans in said auxiliary sustaining circuit; means actuated by said motorfor closing said illlX'. iliary sustaining circuit, only when the damperactuating member has been displaced by a predetermined amount from anormal position, and regardless of whether said displacement was or wasnot brought about by the completion of the thermostat start ing circuit;all designed to insure the return of the damper actuating member to anormal position, after having for any reason been displaced from anormal position.

2. In an electric motor-driven regulator, having damper actuatingmember; a source of electrical energy; a motor circuit; anelectro-magnet. whose armature opens and closes the motor circuit; athermostat; a thermostat starting circuit, but including said opening ofwhich by the thermostat energizes said electroanagnett-a local auxiliarysustaining circuit, independent of the thermostat starting circuit, butincluding said electromagnet; circuit closing means in said auxiliarysustaining circuit; means actuated by said motor for closing saidauxiliary sustaining circuit, said circuit closing means comprising twinrotary drum circuit closers mounted on said damper actuating member andinsulated therefrom, similar in construction but oppositely disposed,each having an advanced portion removed; similarly disposed contactingmembers, one for each leg of the thermostat starting circuit; one foreach circuit closer for the auxiliary sustaining circuit, and one foreach circuit closer, for the purpose of forming a common return for boththe thermostat starting circuit and for the auxiliary sustainingcircuit, through the electro-magnet; the conducting portion of eachcircuit closer being of such angular length, and so disposed withrelation to its respective contacting member as to establish andmaintain the thermostat circuit, throughout the alternate complete halfrevolutions of the damper actuating member.

3. A damper control regulator comprising a damper shaft provided withdamper actuating devices; an electric motor; a motor circuit; athermostat;'a thermostat starting circuit; an electro-magnet forcontrolling the motor circuit; circuit closing members controlled bysaid damper shaft to open the live leg of the thermostat startingcircuit after the completion of the half revolution, and to close theinactive leg of said thermostat starting circuit in preparation for thenext move of the thermostat; an armature for said electro-magnet toclose said motor circuit while the electro-magnet is energized; a localauxiliary sustaining circuit, independent of said motor circuit and saidthermostat starting circuit, and eml'iracing said electro-magnct;circuit closing members in said auxiliary starting circuit. andcontrolled by said motor-driven damper shaft. for alternately completingsaid local auxiliary sustaining circuit through said clcctro-n'iagnet.only after the motor-driven damper shaft has been moved a predeter-Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,180,582.

mined amount out of said normal position: all designed so that. shouldsaid damper shai't be out of normal position. and should the thermostatstarting circuit have tailed to energize the electroanagnet and startthe motor. then the eleetro-magnet may be energized through theauxiliary sustaining circuit. to start the motor and cause the dampershaft to advance to a normal position.

4. A damper control regulator comprising a damper shat't provided withdamper actuating devices: an electric motor; a motor circuit: athermostat: thermostat starting circuit: an eleetro-magnet forcontrolling the motor circuit: circuit closing members controlled bysaid damper shaft to complete alternately through said eleetro-magnet.eachot' said thermostat circuits during a predetermined portion of eachrevolution of the said damper shaft: an armature for said electro-magnet to close said motor eircuit while the eleetro-magnet isenergized [SEAL] a local auxiliary sustaining circuit, independent ofsaid motor circuit and said thermostat starting circuit, and embracingsaid electro-magnet: circuit closing members in said auxiliary startingcircuit. and controlled by said im tor-driven damper shaft, foralternately completing said local auxiliary sustaining circuit throughsaid electron'iagnet. only after the motor-driven dam-- HAROLD EMERSON.

per shat't has Witnesses:

.louN E. Foracr, (i. t. Ennusox.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,180,582, grantedApril 25, 1916,

upon the application of Harold Emerson, of Charlestmvn, Massachusetts,for an improvement in Regulators Employed in 'leinperature-RegulatingSystems Con- 3 trolled by 'lhermostats, an error appears in the printedspecification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 78, claim L,for the words but including said" read t the closing and; and that thesaid Letters Patent should be read with this correcl i tion therein thatthe same may conform to the record of the ease in the Patent Signed andsealed this 16th day of May, A. D., 1916.

J. T. NEWTON.

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

